"Attempt To Control Judiciary": Bengal Judge As Lawyers Target Colleague

A sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court has spoken out about the protests by several lawyers outside the courtroom of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha and abstaining from appearing before him.

Justice Mantha's order granting blanket protection to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has faced legal scrutiny and questions from the ruling party. But, matters took a more serious turn with the posters outside his home and the high court.

Justice Abhijit Ganguly, a colleague of Justice Mantha, who has been in the news for giving a long, freewheeling interview to a television channel, spoke about the issue.

"I will not mention any courtroom, but it is clear to the world that in West Bengal there is an attempt to control the judiciary. There is a section that thinks that by controlling the judiciary they will be able to make them come to terms with them. Yesterday, former judge Ashok Ganguly has said a very important thing. Our judiciary is not so weak that if someone wants, they can control it. This will not be possible and those who are thinking it will happen, are wrong," Justice Abhijit Ganguly said.

When asked if there is an attempt to create fear, Justice Ganguly said, "Yes. Yesterday, Justice Ashok Ganguly has said that next, they will reach his house. I am not naming any party and I don't even know if any party has done this. I have heard that the ruling party has denied that they have any role in this. They have said it clearly. However, we recognise those who have done it. They have done it before as well. What their intention was will be established by a probe."

When questions about the posters outside Justice Mantha's house and near the high court, Justice Ganguly said, "I don't want to say anything about this. You have seen what has happened. And through TV channels the entire country has seen what has happened."

Yesterday, Justice Rajasekhar Mantha took suo moto action against lawyers who blocked entry to his courtroom and announced they would abstain from appearing in his court.

Now the matter will be heard by a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court to decide whether the action by the lawyers amounts to criminal contempt or not. Notices will be issued for a response from the High Court Bar Association and the Advocate General of the state.

When Justice Abhijit Ganguly asked about his presence at a function with senior lawyer and CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya beside him, especially when Bhattacharya is appearing in several cases before him, Justice Ganguly said, "I believe every person in the world is a political person and I don't believe even a single person is outside the purview of politics."